Arizona Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said he cannot bar former President Donald Trump from appearing on his state's ballot next year, but the potential for a disqualification remains "open."
Speaking with AZCentral.com's "The Gaggle" podcast on the 14th Amendment, which would prevent a presidential candidate who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding office, and an Arizona Supreme Court's ruling, which says only Congress can enforce what is known as the Disqualification Clause, Fontes said, "Now, the Arizona Supreme Court said that because there's no statutory process in federal law to enforce Section 3 of the 14th amendment, you can't enforce it.
"That's what the Arizona Supreme Court said, so that's the state of the law in Arizona. Now, do I agree with that? No, that's stupid."
Fontes later commented that the Arizona Supreme Court ruling was "dead, flat wrong," but noted his willingness to comply with the ruling.
"What I'm saying is I'm going to follow the law," Fontes added for clarification. "And the law in Arizona is what the law in Arizona is. Whether I like it or not is irrelevant."
However, in a follow-up interview, according to AZCentral, Fontes said the matter of barring Trump in some fashion from holding office is "still an open question."
"Arizona law is not the only law we have," he added, anticipating challenges to the Disqualification Clause.